


Fuck Shame

by closetpsycho



Category: Black Sails
Genre: M/M, Reunions, Timeline What Timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 13:53:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15909546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/closetpsycho/pseuds/closetpsycho
Summary: The Ranger picks up a person who claims to know someone matching Captain Flint's description.





	Fuck Shame

**Author's Note:**

> (I'm ignoring most things timeline-wise, I just wanted this so I wrote it. Also I've been in this fandom for less than a week, but I am having a great time.)

”We have someone you might want to meet,” Vane doesn’t look shifty, doesn’t even look like he has the upper hand. He’s just making a statement and he’s not taking ‘no’ for an answer. Flint frowned, uncrossing his legs and looked to Jack. Rackham’s face didn’t betray anything either, he was too good at holding up a façade.

“What makes you so sure?” Flint asked, narrowing his eyes.

Vane looked around briefly, then lowered his tone, “Says his name is Thomas.”

Flint was up from his chair in an instant and he snarled, “You best be careful what you’re about to say next.”

Vane licked his lips, then tossed his head, “Walk with us and an explanation will be given. You can bring Gates if you want. I don’t care.”

Flint looked to Gates, who just shrugged. Flint nodded his head, and they followed Vane towards the beach.

Jack cleared his throat, “When we got him on deck he said he maybe had friends in Nassau, by the name of James and Miranda. I remembered that your Mrs. Barlow’s given name is Miranda, so the James had to be you. Nice name by he way-“

“If you’re lying-“ Flint growled, and Jack held up his hands in surrender.

“Too much effort. Besides, when have you ever talked about anyone named Thomas? It would be an extraordinary stroke of luck to pick that name out of nothing, wouldn’t you say?” Jack smiled and Flint begrudgingly had to admit that the man had a point. A small pause followed, and Jack grinned, “So, tell us about Thomas.”

“There’s nothing to tell, least of all to you lot,” Flint shook his head and they got closer to the beach. His heart was pounding and Gates was giving him questioning side glances. Vane gave him a raised eyebrow, and Flint sighed, “He’s someone I knew once. Years ago.”

They got into the longboat and the trip to the Ranger felt like it took years.

They were helped onto the ship and Vane gestured to the captain’s cabin. Flint took the lead and the world went quiet. He didn’t take notice to Gates, Vane, and Rackham behind him. He opened the door and stepped in and was frozen. There was a man with his back to him, looking out the slightly dirty windows of the Ranger, dressed in what was obviously borrowed clothes. Blonde hair, broad shoulders and they turned their head-

There was silence.

Thomas.

“James.”

He couldn’t breathe.

Thomas smiled and James had to move. Maybe he was crying, but all he could register was Thomas’ arms around him and the warmth and the sense of safe and love. He grabbed fistfuls of the shirt Thomas was wearing and he couldn’t force himself to let go, afraid that it was a dream or a terrible nightmare and Thomas was about to be ripped away from him.

Thomas’ hands came up to the back of his head and he pulled away slightly, just enough to knock their foreheads together gently. James could feel the others’ eyes, and he didn’t care. He’d spent ten years feeling guilt and shame, but now Thomas was here and alive.

Fuck shame.

They had both grown beards since the last time they kissed, but it was as tender and sweet as he remembered. Thomas’ hand came up to brush his cheek, and he couldn’t care less about Vane staring, or Gates, or Billy, or even Rackham. No one could take Thomas away from him this time, and he was going to drink in every second of it.

Jack scoffed, “‘Someone I knew’, my foot.”

Gates cleared his throat, “Alright, get out, leave ‘em be. Come on.”

“This is my ship-” Vane started.

“Out!”

There was a shuffling of feet and the door closed.

They were alone.

Thomas breathed in slowly, “I missed you.”

“I thought you were dead,” James croaked.

“I don’t look that bad, do I?” Thomas laughed, and they parted so they could look each other up and down. He smiled, but a frown grew on his face, “You’ve become a pirate?”

James looked down, “Have you heard of the pirate Captain Flint?” Thomas nodded and then the realization came. James looked back up, and he saw surprise. Surprise and confusion. “I was angry. I wanted to make England pay, for the pain it brought upon me. So I became someone else. Someone that seemed to be equally despised by England’s laws. And I tried to build the Nassau that England wouldn’t believe in.”

“So you became the most feared captain on the sea,” Thomas said flatly, sounding neither disappointed or approving. He held James’ hands in his own, thinking silently. “I was told my father met his end, rather brutally. Apparently he was hunted,” he then said, almost conversationally and James winced.

“I will not apologize for killing the man that I was made to believe caused your death,” James looked Thomas in the eye. He needed him to understand.

“I love you.”

James swallowed. He tried to process the words, but he couldn’t make sense of them. He had hunted Alfred Hamilton, and slain him while he begged for mercy and he hadn’t spent even a single second regretting his actions. And Thomas… loved him.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted. He could feel a sting in his eye and his breath hitched, “I’m sorry, I-”

“Hush,” Thomas moved into his space and held his face close. He kissed his forehead, “I love you, and you don’t apologize to me. Not to me.” Another moment passed, “Now, the captain, Vane, he explained to me that you and he aren’t exactly on friendly terms.”

“We tolerate each other, at times,” Flint allowed with a shrug.

“That Rackham fellow is awfully talkative, and he seems to think you and Vane just need to settle things over drinks,” Thomas continued, putting his arm around James’ waist and putting his head on James’ shoulder. The sun was going to set soon. It was almost romantic.

“I love you too,” James whispered.


End file.
